Zee5 reviews

Pros and Cons

Pros

1. Language customisation. Watch your favourite shows in the language of your choice. Choose from English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Marathi, Punjabi, Bhojpuri or Gujarati.
2. Offline downloads. Benefit from viewing top titles while you’re on the go, or avoid delays if you have a slow internet connection.
3. Smart search. Zee5 has a smart content search function and a voice search which will bring up results in your language.

Cons

1. Problems with the app. People have complained that the app is subject to glitches and streaming errors which negatively impact their experience.
2. Login issues. Online reviews state that people have experienced issues with logins using certain devices or systems – in particular, Google and Fire TV Stick.
3. Good channels must be paid for. Those using the Zee5 platform with a free plan have complained that the good channels are only available with the paid version.

Types of content available

There is an abundance of content available on Zee5. The categories are broken down into shows, movies, news, music, videos and live TV. Another bonus is Zee5 Originals, and the Premium tier for additional titles. The sections of the site are categorised in a similar way to other streaming services such as Netflix or Disney Plus. For example, you will find movies for 90s kids, Oscars titles, trending trailers and teasers, crime thrillers, comedy and more. As for TV shows, these are categorised in a way that makes it clear people tune into these series like soaps. The latest episodes are shown, as well as spoilers for the next episode, the week in short for those who want summaries of what they’ve missed and highlight compilations for the week ahead.

Top Zee5 TV shows and movies

Dream Girl

Karamveer has the ability to talk in a female voice, so gets a job at a call centre. He gains a fan following, but the skill also lands him in trouble.

Hotel Mumbai

Members of Lashkar-e-Taiba carry out a series of attacks across Mumbai, including a siege in the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.

Shukranu

Set in 1975, the tale focuses on a man who is forcefully sterilised just before getting married. Chaos breaks out when he is set to become a father despite this measure.

Never Kiss Your Best Friend

Based on the book by Sumrit Shahi, the focus is two best friends who struggle to deal with complicated feelings they develop for each other.

Mulshi Pattern

A farmer called Sakharam sells his land to make some money. His son Rahul resents him for this act as he partners with a criminal to earn some cash.

Kundali Bhagya

A romantic TV show which sees Karan consider Preeta responsible for his father’s death. He marries Preeta to avenge this.

Zindagi Ki Mehek

A romantic drama focusing on a girl called Mehek who wants to be a professional cook. She meets a wealthy businessman at a cooking competition.

Janbaaz Sindbad

An adventure fantasy series centered on a sailor called Sindbad who goes on a journey to avenge his father’s death.

Yahaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli

A drama series where Swarn Abha lives a difficult life after getting married to Karan Prasad. But with Karan’s love, she always overcomes the obstacles.

Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya

A drama series which looks at love stories inspired by young Indians. Focuses on tragic love narratives and decisions they make in certain situations.

User interface

The user interface with Zee5 is well designed and easy to navigate. There is an in-depth menu along the top of the screen – Home, Premium, Shows, Movies, News, Music, Videos, Live TV and Zee5 Originals.

You can see the top picks on a slider, and below there are Zee5 Originals in Hindi. Other categories include trending titles, top movies, latest TV episodes, top news headlines, sneak peeks, recently added titles and more.

The premium section is part of a paid subscription and includes premium Bollywood blockbusters, exclusive sneak peeks, original music and more. Shows and movies are set up in a similar fashion.

Live TV has the option to stream right away or view the channel guide. You can choose from free channels such as News Nation, News24, Zee News and Republic Bharat, or there’s other sections such as Hindi Entertainment, English Entertainment, English News, Music and Lifestyle.

Compatible devices and system requirements

Zee5 has worked hard to ensure that its services can be used on a range of devices. For example, in August 2019 an article from Television Post stated that the platform would now be available on 2015-2016 smart TVs due to backward compatibility for Web OS version 3.0 to 3.5. Additionally, Zee5 can be used on existing LG smart TVs and newer models. Backward compatibility was also said to be underway for Samsung smart TVs. Those on mobile and web browsers can also use the system. The total list of compatible devices and services include Airtel, LG TV, Fire TV, Mi LED TV, Samsung smart TV, Sony, ONIDA, 1+, Tatat, Sky and Panasonic.

How to cancel Zee5

If you have any issues with Zee5, you can email [email protected] (or the respective email for your country). However, if you want to cancel your subscription, you can do so in a number of ways. One is to go into your account settings and uncheck the auto-renewal option to prevent billing from the next cycle. Alternatively, there is no need to take further action if you have a set subscription which will expire. If you’re signed up via mobile, text stop to 155223 from your registered mobile number to stop billing on the next cycle. Customers should note that, after subscribing to a premium plan, no refund is offered if a subscriber cancels before the plan ends.

Plans, trials and subscription options

A premium subscription enables access to exclusive regional, national and international content. All premium and non-premium content can also be streamed on up to 5 devices at once.

There are three packs available on premium, which include access to movies, shows, live TV, before TV support and streaming on multiple devices. In India, all access for one year is INR 999, which is around $14. All access for one month is INR 99, which is around $1.39. All access for six months is INR 599, which is around $8.39. However, these prices could be different when the service is launched in the US market.

There are also new Tamil, Telugu and Kannada packs, which provide streamlined access to the content available in these languages. In total, there are over 100 original shows and over 4500 movies on offer with a premium plan.

Competitors

There are a number of competitors in the streaming market. Globally speaking, Zee5 is not only contending with other Indian services such as Hotstar, but there are also platforms such as Netflix and Disney Plus which are widening their nets to entice subscribers across the globe.

Zee5 may have enough glitches or streaming issues that people will want to try Disney Plus or Netflix when these services become available in their area, but the main appeal with Zee5 is the breadth of content available in languages such as Tamil and Telugu. This is a unique feature that isn’t easily found on the streaming market.

What we think of Zee5

Our main takeaway from testing out Zee5 is that it clearly places a lot of focus on being the core content hub for subscribers. With sections dedicated to news and live TV as well as TV shows and movies, it’s evident that the streamer wants people to stay on the platform –  and remain on it.

Is Zee5 worth it?

Zee5 will be worth it for those who want to access a range of shows in their native language. It also works if you want a free content tier without the worry of a monthly subscription if cash is tight. While there are plenty of other platforms out there, it’s clear that Zee5 is capable of holding its own